Men will be honored for saving jumper

A Rhode Island state trooper and two civilians will be honored next week by Gov. Lincoln Chafee for their roles in talking a potential jumper from the Pell Bridge earlier this year. Trooper Andre Carter, Tim Banks and Matt Ferreira will all receive Rhode Island Lifesaving Medals at a ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 2 p.m. at the State House.

The three men acted without concern for their own safety when they encountered a suicidal man on the Newport Pell Bridge in April. Carter responded to a report of a man who’d abandoned his bicycle on the bridge and was walking along the railing. When Carter arrived, the man placed one leg over the bridge railing said, “I hate my life. I want to kill myself.” Carter ran toward him and secured his arms to prevent him from jumping. Carter tried to pull him to safety, but the man struggled. The trooper was joined by passing motorists Banks and Ferreira who saw what was happening. They assisted Carter by securing the suicidal man by his arms and belt. Together, all three managed to remove the subject from the railing and save his life.